Following the release of Wale’s most recent album, Everything Is a Lot, to a wave of critical praise, it’s worth spotlighting a skill that has never received enough attention throughout his career: his uncanny ability to identify emerging talent early, and actually collaborate with those artists before they explode. This isn’t a recent development or a late-career pivot. It’s been happening since the very beginning.

The first time I remember seeing Wale in print was on the cover of URB magazine. He shared that cover with the French electronic duo Justice, who at the time were buzzing off the success of their song “D.A.N.C.E.” The track was dominating the electronic scene and slowly bleeding into the hip-hop blogosphere, buoyed by the genre’s growing acceptance of electronic influences. Still, Wale rapping over a Justice beat was considered unorthodox. That didn’t stop him. He absolutely rapped his ass off—delivering memorable lines while gliding in and out of the “D.A.N.C.E.” instrumental, a track built on high-pitched vocal samples and futuristic, robotic synths. It’s not an easy sonic palette for an MC, yet Wale made it feel effortless. Notably, that URB cover also marked one of the first times a mainstream rapper wore Supreme on a magazine cover—another subtle sign of where culture was heading.

Fast forward to the Wow… That’s Crazy album cycle. Wale released “Pole Dancer,” featuring a buzzing female rapper who had gained attention but had not yet become the superstar she is today: Megan Thee Stallion. The record was outside Wale’s typical wheelhouse, but the foresight wasn’t just in the collaboration—it was in recognizing that Meg brought real lyrical presence to the song, not just viral appeal. She wasn’t an Instagram model turned rapper; she was an artist who could shine. Within a year, her name was unavoidable.

In 2017, Wale featured J Balvin on his album Shine. While Balvin was already a star in Latin America—his album Energía had dropped in 2016 and made significant waves—he was still a year away from full-blown global superstardom. That leap came with 2018’s Vibras, powered by massive hits like “Mi Gente.” The following year, Balvin collaborated with a relatively unknown artist named Bad Bunny on Oasis, cementing both as global icons. While Balvin was already big, Wale clearly saw the writing on the wall. Balvin’s embrace of streetwear culture—eventually earning him his own Jordan collaboration—was part of that trajectory. Once again, Wale was early, capturing a feature from a future global star before his full entry into the American mainstream (ironically, before Balvin got a Jordan—something Wale, a respected sneakerhead himself, would surely appreciate).

Then there’s the “how did Wale get that feature?” category. Few are more striking than his debut album’s lead single, “Chillin,” featuring Lady Gaga. At the time, Gaga was already popular but still on the cusp of the cultural dominance she would soon achieve. The track, teased for months, featured Wale’s signature wordplay and sports references over an electronic beat anchored by a Gaga chorus. It felt like a natural response to the hip-hop blogosphere’s obsession with the Kid Cudi, Kanye West, and Common collaboration “Make Her Say,” which heavily sampled Gaga’s “Poker Face” vocal and became a staple among college crowds.

One lesser-known detail from the “Chillin” video: Jimmy Iovine personally called Wale’s then-manager, Rich Kleiman (Kevin Durant’s business partner, whom Wale actually introduced to Durant), insisting that Beats headphones be placed on a dog during the shoot. They were—perfectly emblematic of that era, when every Interscope artist was required to showcase Beats in their visuals. Personally, I still think the 9th Wonder remix is superior, but “Chillin” was an undeniable arrival moment for Wale. It also doubled as a subtle flex, premiering the Nike Half Cents in the video.

One of the most prophetic—and eventually complicated—collaborations in Wale’s career was his partnership with Kid Cudi on “Is There Any Love.” Their relationship would oscillate between camaraderie and tension across multiple eras of rap. Both artists were products of the blog era and were famously linked through a now-legendary GQ photo shoot that also included a then-unknown Toronto rapper named Drake. Wale later recalled feeling like the odd man out during that shoot—while Cudi and Drake discussed working with Beyoncé and Kanye, Wale was excited about his collaboration with The Roots. In hindsight, that moment underscores something essential: from the outset, Wale was capable of standing toe-to-toe with his peers, even as their paths diverged.

This knack for spotting talent early hasn’t been limited to past eras. Wale worked with Victoria Monét on his 2016 mixtape Summer on Sunset, collaborating on “Losing” long before she became a household name. More recently, he teamed up with London-based Odeal of London Summers and DJ fame on “City on Fire,” a piercing breakup anthem from Everything Is a Lot. One collaborator that even diehard Wale fans sometimes overlook is Travis Scott. Yes, La Flame himself. Wale connected with Travis early, around the time he was being introduced as a T.I. protégé in Atlanta, before signing with Kanye West’s GOOD Music. Wale appeared on Travis Scott’s breakthrough mixtape Owl Pharaoh on the fan-favorite “Quintana.” Travis later returned the favor, appearing on Wale’s Shine album on “Fish and Grits.”    Whether it’s Lady Gaga, Megan Thee Stallion, J Balvin, or Travis Scott, the pattern is unmistakable. Wale doesn’t just have an ear for talent—he has an eye for lasting talent. And time, again and again, has proven him right.